The first thing you’ll probably notice when you arrive in Salamanca, apart from the gorgeous architecture, is the abundance of bookshops. This is a very literary city, and bookshops abound partly because of the famously prestigious university and also because Salamanca is one of Spain’s most popular destinations for Spanish language students. You’ll find most booksellers clustered around Plaza Mayor and the university.
Plus, the Book Fair takes place in May and in September there’s the Old and Second Hand Book Fair both of which take over the main squares of Plaza Mayor and Plaza de los Bandos. If you’re looking for a couple of interesting reads to enjoy on your travels, you’ll have no trouble finding them in this city. With so many bookstores to choose from, we’ve narrowed the selection down to a few favourites. Let’s exploce The Best Independent Bookstores in Salamanca below.
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The Best Independent Bookstores in Salamanca
The unusual combination of antique books and designer jewellery on sale has proven irresistible to Salamanca’s shoppers, and as a result La Nave is always packed. The staff are attentive and charming, always willing to help you find the things you need whether you knew you needed them or not.
If you’re just window shopping, there’s a relaxed atmosphere with the freedom to browse at your leisure among the broad selection of literature, including plenty of weighty titles on philosophy, psychology, sociology and more.
La Galetea
This is the kind of shop that book lovers dream about, located on the appropriately-named Calle Libreros. The shelves in one room of this independent bookshop groan with curiosities, rare volumes, signed copies and first editions, while in another you’re faced with heaps on ancient manuscripts and even engravings. This is once of The Best Independent Bookstores in Salamanca.
More accessible is the French and English language section, which also has its own room. You can even explore the room dedicated to music, or the collections of antiques and handicrafts from around the world, dating mostly from the turn of the last century. The themes might seem distinct, but the owners maintain that all these art forms are deeply connected.
Fullers Bookshop
Fullers Bookshop is an award winning independent booksellers, open seven days a week and replete with café. Masterful recommenders, curious readers, eccentrically knowledgeable, community proud and 90-odd years young. It is open 7 bookish days a week. All books, Books of the Month, Featured Titles, Forthcoming Books, Fullers Publishing, New Releases, Reading Group, Tasmanian Books, Fullers Gift Voucher, Events, Cafe.
Dymocks Hobart
Dymocks Hobart is lead by a highly qualified team of staff, Ian and Kate Campbell, who are all readers with the same passion for books as themselves. With a broad and eclectic customer based, they specialize in Children’s books for all ages, craft, cooking and history and are known throughout the island as the one store where the destination is only the beginning of a wonderful book buying experience.
Best Sellers, New Releases, Coming Soon, Promotions, Top 101, Kids Top 51, Fiction (Award Winning, Modern Literature, Crime & Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult), Non Fiction, Popula Ficton, Crime, Food & Drink, Children’s Books.
Hobart Book Shop
Hobart Book Shop is a proud independent bookshop. The proprietors, Christopher Pearce and Janet Grecian, have a long history in bookselling. Christopher’s father, Cedric Pearce was one of Hobart’s best known booksellers from the 1940s to the early 1980s. Christopher began his bookselling career in the early 1970s, ran the University Bookshop in Port Moresby (PNG) during the 1980s, and opened the Hobart Bookshop in 1990.
Literature, Poetry, Children’s Books, Novels, Coffee Table Books, Travel Guides, Literary Journals, Reference Books, Picture Books, Self Published Works, Poetry Chapbooks, and rare books, new and secondhand books, small selection of CDs (audio books and local musicians’ CDs) and stationary (cards, postcards, calendars, diaries, and notebooks featuring a good selection of the Moleskine range).
Libreria Hydria
One of the city’s best known independent bookstores, artsy Hydria is renowned not only for its fantastic selection of contemporary fiction, second hand books and publications in other languages, but it also serves as an art gallery space and hosts live music nights and of course author readings and book launches.
Re-Read Salamanca
If you’ve been carting around a book or two that you no longer want, trade it in here and pick up something different. This popular bookseller and buyer aimed at the local students prides itself on low prices, has a modern feel and a great selection, mostly in Spanish. Cuesta del Carmen, 22, Salamanca, Spain.
